250-300

Delegates

For the Care Leavers
By the Care Leavers
With the Care Leavers

In Collaboration With & At
Amity University,
Noida, Delhi NCR, India

Announcement!

The current exceptional situation, caused by the Covid-19, is a worldwide challenge for all upcoming events. Keeping in mind the safety and health of all participants and on the basis of the advisory issued by the nodal ministries in India, the organizing committee of the 1st International Care Leavers Convention, India, with a heavy heart has decided to postpone the convention temporarily.

We are closely observing the current situation and will notify you of the fresh dates shortly. We hope that you will not be saddened by this decision and will join hands with us to keep the momentum going.

Meaningful improvements for children and youth growing up in care can only be made in partnership with Care Leavers who have experience with the care system. The solution lies in the wisdom of lived experiences of Care Leavers who most know what’s at stake, towards powerful lasting change. The need of the hour is to hear the unheard voices of Care Leavers and provide them a platform to improve the support and opportunities available to them, especially considering the care system exists for their benefit.

The International Care Leavers Convention is a unique opportunity to collectivize Care Leavers at international level and elevate the voices of children and young people – because without the insight of these young leaders our care systems won’t be effective.

The objective of the convention is to bring Care Leavers together and provide them a platform to emerge to learn, share and exchange experiences, knowledge and challenges on their situation such that it amplifies their voices and attracts the attention of decision makers to act upon their demands through betterment of the policy and practice related to them.

We would like to invite you to join us for our 1st International Care Leavers Convention to be hosted at the Amity University from March 13-14, 2020.

I am seventeen, soon to be eighteenI am seventeen,Soon to be eighteen,I’ll be thrown out,But the world is so loud.How will I fight?Tell me is it right?I need an Aftercare home,Same like my shelter home.Am I not the responsibility of the State?Then why am I left alone at this stage?What about the dreams I aspire toWill I be guided with rehabilitation planning?Education, friends, relationship and my community,Ooppss! Sorry I’m not even a part of the society.Wake up authority,Gift me my identity,Hear my voice, screaming for unanswered questions.Understand me, even I have potential,Hold my hand, I need a stand.I am seventeen, soon to be eighteen,And eighteen is frightening.– Priyanka Kumari and Suman Kasana

Who Is This Conference For?

Young people with a care experience who would like to connect with other care leavers

Social workers, academicians, researchers, child rights professionals, and experts working with children and youth in care

Service Providers who are interested in advancing the cause of care leavers through provisioning of various services

Voices of Care Leavers

There are so many decisions to be made every single day. You can’t even imagine. The fear of leaving a place which is ‘home’ for us haunts me. I want to grow up and work for other children who are in the same situation.

Care Leaver

I experience different challenges and opportunities on a daily basis and have no one to fall back on.

Care Leaver

At the age of 18 or 19 years, most of us do not have clear ideas about what to do and what not do. After leaving the children’s home, we are always confused. Only i know what it feels like

Care Leaver

I did not have anyone to say ‘I am proud of you’ when I finished my Masters, I did not have anyone in the crowd to clap for me. Even though our aspirations are high, the support for us is very low.

Care Leaver

I have no other choice but to do this training to secure a job.

Care Leaver

Youth who leave the CCI, without support, will start considering themselves as a failure. It is not easy to be accepted by this society and to reintegrate on one’s own. In my own case, I have had to compromise on many of my aspirations.

Care Leaver

Non-institutional services expenses like education, food, housing, transport, communication, health and settlement expenses that include job search expenses, work expenses, and marriage expenses can be provided through a monthly allowance.

Care Leaver

Actually in CCI and Aftercare, we do not have clear ideas about what to do after leaving care. We are always confused and yearn for someone to guide us. I want to become that guiding element in their life.

Care Leaver

Even if we want or have the talent to study, it is never entertained. Sometimes it was discouraged as it will take a longer time or due to scarcity of funds.

Care Leaver

With my tenure ending soon, the staff have asked me repeatedly to vacate. I am negotiating for more time since I have no external support and no place to live.

Care Leaver

People outside don’t really understand us and we too don’t trust the people outside.

Care Leaver

As an idea it (Aftercare) is very good as it provides the boys who do not have any support a place to stay, and also an opportunity to work towards their own settlement. But there is very little guidance. At present, the staff are the sole decision makers and the inputs of the boys are not considered. I don’t have any large expectations. They must consider us as important and they must have faith in us, that we can do anything and everything as per the decisions pertaining to our life.

Care Leaver

They can talk and do all the things … but until they adjust their system to meet the needs of the individuals that need them, we will never be competent or at par. It may be suitable for some people because they might get along with someone they developed a connection with or the family who fostered them but what will happen to the ones that cannot develop a bond with anyone.

Care Leaver

See…the (Aftercare) routine life needs to accommodate the individual life of the boys. “I mean if I want to be a footballer then I have to join some club, but I don’t have any contacts. Likewise, I will also need a professional coach but there is no such option available here. In Aftercare, job is compulsory, so I don’t get time for football or further studies. Also, anything other than a job is considered as unimportant and as something which does not have any value.

Care Leaver

Collectivizing Care Leavers

Udayan Care recently concluded a seminal research on ‘Aftercare’ to understand the situation of Care Leavers (youth who have lived in childrens homes and left them at 18 years). Since 2017 Udayan Care has supported an informal support group of Care Leavers from Delhi and this group launched itself at an international conference in March 2018. Known as CLAN, (Care Leavers Association and Network), this youth group has been formed as a city wide network so that CLs from different CCIs can join and there can be a greater synergy and support system amongst themselves.

Members from CLAN presented their care experiences in the form of a street play at the launch of the report on Aftercare.

Udayan Care in association with the University of Hildesheim – Germany, organized an Indo-German Meet for Care Leavers (youth exiting Child Care Institutions upon turning 18), from 1st to 6th December 2019, as part of the Project “Peer-Port”, transnational cooperation between Care Leavers in India and Germany.

The main objective of the project “Aftercare Peer Support” (Peer Port) is to create and support a group of Care Leavers who are strong enough to support others and empower them to investigate, advocate and promote the participation of Care Leavers in the local communities, educational system, and labour market.

It was a great learning experience for everyone who participated in the programme. The programme shared insights on the respective systems on child care and Aftercare in the two countries. It also helped to understand the challenges faced by Care Leavers. The care leavers are very excited about this collaboration and look forward to their work together to improve systems and policies in their respective countries.

*Have you been working towards collectivizing Care Leavers in your country? Would you like to submit your work for dissemination on this website? Please reach out to Ms. Suman Kasana at aop@udayancare.org

Organised By

How To Reach The Venue

From Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

From New Delhi Railway Station

From New Delhi ISBT

Distance

40 Kms

25 Kms

34 Kms

Taxi Fare

Rs 700/- (approx)

Rs 450/- (approx)

Rs 500/- (approx)

Auto Fare

Rs 350/- (approx)

Rs 300/- (approx)

The venue can be easily accessed by metro from the airport, railway station and bus stop. The nearest metro stations to the convention venue are Botanical Garden and Okhla Bird Sanctuary. You can hire a shared auto from these stations to reach the venue. Click here to plan your journey.